Nigeria’s Alex Iwobi, left, controls the ball during the African Cup of Nations final
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The captain of Nigeria’s Super Eagles football team has taken a stand against the wave of online harassment targeting midfielder Alex Iwobi.
Following Nigeria’s 1-2 loss to Ivory Coast in Sunday’s Afcon final, some football fans resorted to social media trolling, directing blame at the 27-year-old player for the defeat.
During the match, Iwobi put in a 79-minute effort before being substituted by Alhassan Yusuf. However, the backlash he faced online led him to remove his Instagram photos on Monday.
Responding to the cyberbullying, Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa and other Nigerians defended Iwobi, denouncing the targeted attacks and stressing that singling him out for the team’s loss is unjust.
In a statement posted on X, Musa urged fans to cease the online harassment directed at Iwobi. “Losing a game is undoubtedly tough, but targeting a single player for the team’s shortcomings is unfair and unjust. We win as a team, and we lose as a team. Alex gave his all on the field, just like every member of our squad,” Musa emphasized.
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